AP releases newly restored video of 1981 royal wedding of Charles and Diana

Share this:

This is an archived article and the information in the article may be outdated. Please look at the time stamp on the story to see when it was last updated.

LONDON (AP) — It was the wedding that captivated the world. Lady Diana Spencer said “I will” to Britain’s Prince Charles, becoming Princess of Wales and bringing fresh youth and glamour to Britain’s royal family.

Now, 36 years later, The Associated Press has restored original footage (find the YouTube playlist here) from the July 29, 1981, wedding and is releasing it in 4K resolution on YouTube.

The 25 minutes of footage comes from the archive of British Movietone, which AP acquired in 2016. British Movietone was the only company to film the wedding on high-quality 35 mm film, making it possible to restore it to a higher quality.

“The restored 4K film is simply stunning and a world away from the 1980s videotape versions that we’re familiar with,” said Alwyn Lindsey, AP’s vice president of sales for Europe, the Middle East and Africa.

The public had huge affection for Diana, whose marriage to Charles later dissolved. Her sons, Princes William and Harry, have carried on her legacy by promoting frank discussions of mental health issues, among other causes.

Charles and Diana separated in 1992 and divorced in 1996. A year later, she and companion Dodi Fayed died in a high-speed car crash in Paris. The 20th anniversary of the crash is Thursday.